Emmentaler is a Swiss cheese with a protected designation of origin, characterized by large holes and a creamy, mildly acidic flavor. It is made with raw milk from Swiss cows and is versatile in cooking. Emmentaler is widely duplicated around the world, including in the United States and Norway.
Emmentaler is the classic “Swiss” cheese, a creamy cheese with deep holes and distinctive markings that has been made in Switzerland for centuries. Emmentaler has a protected designation of origin that allows the integrity of true Swiss Emmentaler to be maintained by requiring that cheese-labeled Emmentaler meet a stringent set of requirements. Emmentaler’s manufacturing process is widely duplicated around the world, including in the United States, where the product is labeled Swiss cheese, and Norway, where the famous Jarlsberg cheese is made.
Emmentaler is a salty cheese which gives the cheese a slightly salty flavor and a strong rind. The finished cheese wheels often weigh up to 150 pounds (70 kilograms) and are closely monitored to ensure the cheese is of the high quality associated with Emmentaler cheese. As the granddaddy of all Swiss-type cheeses, Emmentaler is revered by many consumers and well worth the extra cost on the market.
Emmentaler is a semi-hard cheese that ranges from pale cream to yellow in color and is characterized by large, irregular holes in the cheese. Many of them reach the size of walnuts, while others are diminutive in size. The cheese itself is lightly salty, creamy and mild in flavor with slightly acidic notes. Because Emmentaler is so delicate, it is an extremely versatile cheese and can be found in recipes all over the world.
Emmentaler goes well with fruit dishes and many wines and also plays a leading role in quiches and fondue. The cheese melts very well and lends itself to grilled cheese sandwiches, tuna melts, and other culinary situations where a well-melted, mild cheese is desired. Emmentaler is also popular with children, due to the mild flavor, and is an excellent way to introduce children to the milder end of gourmet cheeses.
Emmentaler is made by curdling and pressing the curds into large cheese moulds, which are kept under pressure and occasionally turned to drain for about a day before the cheese is pickled and placed in a cave to mature. The cheese is kept relatively fresh for about two weeks, then placed in a warmer cellar to ferment for 6 to 8 weeks. During the fermentation process, the cheese forms carbon dioxide gas which is unable to escape the thick rind, forming the distinctive holes. After that, the cheese can be stored for sale.
Part of the cheese’s protected appellation origin dictates that Emmentaler be made with raw milk from Swiss cows kept in humane and hygienic conditions. The milk used for the Emmentaler is of a surprisingly high quality, lightly flavored and mildly spicy from the diet of the cows feed, combined with their ability to graze during the summer. The cows are never fed silage or genetically modified organisms and genetically modified rennet or bacterial cultures are also prohibited during the cheese making process.
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